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Multiple Choice
Which of the following can be used to assess the biological diversity of an area?
A
Atmospheric pressure
B
Annual rainfall
C
Soil pH
D
Species richness
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of biological diversity: Biological diversity, or biodiversity, refers to the variety of life forms in a given area, including species, ecosystems, and genetic variations within species.
Recognize the key metric for assessing biodiversity: Species richness is a commonly used measure of biodiversity. It refers to the number of different species present in a specific area.
Evaluate why atmospheric pressure, annual rainfall, and soil pH are not direct measures of biodiversity: These factors are environmental conditions that can influence biodiversity but do not directly quantify the variety of species in an area.
Explain how species richness is assessed: To measure species richness, scientists conduct surveys or sampling in the area to identify and count the number of distinct species present.
Conclude that species richness is the correct answer because it directly quantifies the biological diversity of an area, unlike the other options which are environmental factors.